DR. AMBEDKAR MEMORIAL LECTURE PLANNING COMMITTEE IN BC PROTESTS RAIDS AND ARRESTS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS IN INDIA

The Planning Committee of the Annual Dr. Ambedkar Memorial Lecture instituted in Vancouver, British Columbia in 2017 by Chetna Association of Canada; Hari Sharma Foundation; Institute for the Humanities at Simon Fraser University; and Centre for India and South Asia Research, University of British Columbia, Department of Asian Studies, and Robert H. N. Ho and Family  Foundation Program in Buddhism and Contemporary Society at the University of British Columbia is gravely concerned by the simultaneous raids on the homes of prominent writers, lawyers, poets, and human rights activists in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Delhi, Goa, and Ranchi on August 28, 2018.

We are deeply disturbed that journalists, writers, poets, lawyers, trade unionists, academics, and human rights activists such as Gautam Navlakha, Sudha Bhardwaj, Varvara Rao, Vernon Gonsalves, and Arun Ferreira have been arrested under patently false terrorism related charges, Ferreira having already served five years in prison on false charges that were dismissed in court.

We are deeply concerned that renowned academic, writer, and human rights activist Anand Teltumbde’s home in Goa was raided in his absence. Dr. Teltumbde delivered the Dr. Ambedkar Memorial Lecture organized by the Institute for the Humanities (SFU), Chetna Association, Hari Sharma Foundation, and Centre for India and South Asian Studies and Department of Asian Studies at UBC in 2016. We deplore this attack on an outstanding scholar, academic, a critical thinker and spokesperson for the rights of Dalits.

We also deplore the raid on the home of Father Stan Swami in Ranchi on the ground of his work on the rights of Adivasis.

We demand the immediate release of all who have been arrested and the return of all material confiscated in these unjust raids that intimidate people from speaking on behalf of the oppressed.

Jai Birdi, General Secretary, Chetna Association of Canada; Coordinator, Planning Committee, Annual Dr. Ambedkar Memorial Lecture

Samir Gandesha, Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Director, Institute for the Humanities. Simon Fraser University

Chinmoy Banerjee, President, Dr. Hari Sharma Foundation

Harinder Mahil, Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Hari Sharma Foundation

Anne Murphy, Associate Professor, Department of Asian Studies UBC and Co-Director, Centre for India and South Asia Research, University of British Columbia

Sara Shneiderman, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology and School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBC and Co-Director, Center for India and South Asia Research, University of British Columbia

Jessica Main, Associate Professor, Department of Asian Studies, UBC, and Director, Robert H. N. Ho and Family Foundation Program in Buddhism and Contemporary Studies, University of British Columbia

Ajay Bhardwaj, PhD Candidate, Department of Asian Studies, University of British Columbia